Calibrachoa plant named ‘Caltraelbu’

ABSTRACT

A new  Calibrachoa  plant particularly distinguished by its trailing, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit, freely branching habit, freely flowering habit, single flowers that are burgundy in color, and good garden performance.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Calibrachoasp.

Varietal denomination: ‘Caltraelbu’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofCalibrachoa plant botanically known as Calibrachoa sp. and referred toby the cultivar name ‘Caltraelbu.’

The new Calibrachoa is the product of a planned breeding programconducted by the inventor in Enkhuizen, Netherlands. The new Calibrachoacultivar is freely flowering with trailing and spreading plant habit andattractive leaf and flower coloration.

The new Calibrachoa originated from a cross-pollination made by theinventor in July 2003 of a proprietary selection of Calibrachoa sp.identified as code number ‘Z4012,’ not patented, as the female, or seedparent, with the Calibrachoa sp. variety ‘KLEC01055’ (U.S. Plant Pat.No. 14,171), as the male, or pollen parent. The new Calibrachoa wasselected as a single plant from the resulting progeny of thecross-pollination in a controlled environment in Enkhuizen, Netherlandsin May 2004.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttingssince August 2004, in Enkhuizen, Netherlands has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Calibrachoa are stable and reproduced true to typein successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar ‘Caltraelbu’ have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, light intensity anddaylength without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe to the unique characteristics of ‘Caltraelbu.’ These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Caltraelbu’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Trailing, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit    -   2. Freely branching habit    -   3. Freely flowering habit    -   4. Single flowers with burgundy flowers    -   5. Good garden performance

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Enkhuizen, Netherlands, plantsof the new Calibrachoa differed from plants of the female parentselection in the following characteristic:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have slightly more vigour than        the plants of the female parent selection.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Enkhuizen, Netherlands, plantsof the new Calibrachoa differed from plants of the male parent selectionin the following characteristic:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have a more trailing habit        whereas the plants of the male parent selection are more        upright.

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW CULTIVAR ‘CALTRAELBU’ AND A SIMILARCULTIVAR Million Bells Cherry Red ‘Caltraelbu’ ‘Sunbel-richpi’ (Notpatented) Plant habit More trailing Much more upright Flower shape Alobed flower A more round flower Throat width wider More narrow

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Calibrachoa.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The observations and measurements describe plants grown in Enkhuizen,The Netherlands, practice circumstances outdoor in window boxes duringthe Summer with day temperatures ranging from 14 to 30° C., nighttemperatures ranging from 10 to 20° C. Plants used for the photographsand description were about 10 weeks from planting rooted cuttings.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   The plant:    -   -   Classification.—Botanical: Calibrachoa sp.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Calibrachoa sp.            identified as code number ‘Z4012,’ not patented        -   Male parent.—Calibrachoa sp. variety ‘KLEC01055,’ U.S. Plant            Pat. No. 14,171.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Summer and Winter: About 12 days at            20° C.        -   Time to develop roots, Summer.—About 21 days at 20° C.        -   Time to develop roots, Winter.—About 28 days at 16° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous, white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Annual flowering plant; indeterminate; initially            upright, then trailing and outwardly spreading; uniformly            mounded plant form. Freely branching habit; about six to            eight basal branches each with about six to eight lateral            branches. Pinching enhances development of lateral branches.        -   Usage.—Appropriate for hanging baskets, window boxes, patio            containers, and landscape applications.        -   Plant height (from soil level to top of plant plane).—About            15 cm.        -   Plant diameter (from soil level to lateral branches            apices).—About 50 cm.        -   Vigor.—Vigorous; rapid growth rate.-   The stem:    -   -   Main branches, length.—About 45 cm.        -   Main branches, diameter.—About 2.2 mm.        -   Lateral branches, length.—About 10 cm.        -   Lateral branches, diameter.—About 1 mm.-   Internodes:    -   -   Length.—2 cm.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.        -   Strength.—Strong. Wiry.        -   Color.—144A with some anthocyanin N187A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate before flowering; opposite after            flowers develop; simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 3.1 cm.        -   Width.—About 9 mm.        -   Shape.—Oblanceolate to elliptic.        -   Apex.—Obtuse.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Aspect.—Mostly flat.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Slightly pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: 146A. Developing            foliage, lower surface: 146B. Fully expanded foliage, upper            surface: 146A, midvein 146B, lateral veins similar to            lamina. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 146B, midvein            146C, lateral veins similar to lamina.-   The inflorescence:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single salver form flowers; flowers            face mostly upright or outward; axillary. Freely flowering            habit.        -   Natural flowering season.—Long day responsive; long            flowering period, spring until frost in the autumn;            flowering continuous during this period. Plants start            flowering about nine weeks after planting rooted cuttings.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About seven to ten days.-   Flower size:    -   -   Diameter.—About 2.7 cm.        -   Depth (height).—About 2.3 cm.        -   Tube length.—About 1.5 cm.        -   Throat diameter, distal end.—About 7 mm.        -   Tube diameter, proximal end.—About 2 mm.-   Flower buds:    -   -   Length.—About 1.8 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 4 mm.        -   Shape.—Oblong.        -   Color.—Towards the base: 150C. Mid-section: 153D. Towards            the apex: 79A.-   Petals:    -   -   Arrangement/appearance.—Single whorl of five petals fused            into flared trumpet.        -   Length from throat.—About 1 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.1 cm.        -   Shape.—Roughly spatulate with a rounded apex.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous, satiny.        -   Color.—When opening, upper surface: N66A. When opening,            lower surface: 72C. Fully opened, upper surface: N66A.            Circumorbital ring: N77A. Venation, upper surface: 61B.            Fully opened, lower surface: 72C. Venation, lower surface:            61B. Flower throat (inside): 9B. Venation, throat: 61B.            Flower tube (outside): 4C. Venation, tube: 61B.-   Sepals:    -   -   Arrangement/appearance.—Single whorl of five sepals fused at            base, star-shaped.        -   Length.—About 1.2 cm.        -   Width.—About 3 mm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.        -   Color, upper and lower surfaces.—144A.-   Peduncles:    -   -   Length.—About 9 mm.        -   Width.—About 1 mm.        -   Strength.—Flexible, wiry.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.        -   Color.—144A with some anthocyanin N187A.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens, quantity per flower.—Five.        -   Anther shape.—Four-parted, over.        -   Anther length.—About 1.2 mm.        -   Anther diameter.—About 1.1 mm.        -   Filament length.—About 6 mm.        -   Filament color.—150C.        -   Anther color.—5C.        -   Pollen amount.—Moderate.        -   Pollen color.—5C.        -   Pistils, quantity per flower.—One.        -   Pistil length.—About 9 mm.        -   Stigma shape.—Ovate.        -   Stigma color.—144B.        -   Style length.—About 7 mm.        -   Style color.—145B with anthocyanin N187A.        -   Ovary color.—145B; Apex N187A.-   Seed development: Seed development has not been observed to date.-   Disease and pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not    been noted to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to    Calibrachoa.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed    to have good garden performance. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have    been noted to tolerate rain, wind, and temperatures from 0 to 30° C.

1. A new and distinct variety of Calibrachoa plant, substantially asillustrated and described herein.